End cap for slalom gateposts and procedure of its anchorage in the snow pack

ABSTRACT

This end cap for slalom gateposts has gripping means on its surface configured so as to exert a force of friction on the wall of a hole made in the snow pack for the insertion of the post under pressure, such that—without damaging the structural integrity of the hole—it induces the liquefaction of a film of water that spreads in the liquid state and then retains the gripping means, and/or creates a physical bond between the snow crystals and the gripping means, when it refreezes.

FIELD

The present invention refers to an end cap for slalom gateposts and to a procedure of its anchorage in the snow pack.

BACKGROUND

There are known slalom gatepost end caps that are threaded to enable them to be screwed into a hole made in the snow pack. The known end caps constructed in this way suffer from two drawbacks. First of all, they demand the availability of a special tool for screwing them into the snow pack. This complicates the logistics involved in preparing slalom courses because each gatepost can only be fixed in place with bare hands. Secondly, the penetration of the thread inside the hole gives rise to strong localised mechanical stresses that undermine the structural integrity of the hole, leading to its widespread and uncontrolled splitting. This damage to the structural integrity of the hole causes a loosening of the grip as a consequence of which the anchorage of the end cap becomes unstable. The effects of this disintegration are amplified by the athletes repeatedly bumping against the gateposts as they pass through the gate. Slalom gateposts with this type of end cap unavoidably soon slide out of the snow pack.

SUMMARY

The technical aim of the present invention is to produce an end cap for slalom gateposts and a procedure for fixing them in the snow pack that enables the technical drawbacks of the known state of the art to be overcome.

In the context of this technical aim, one object of the invention is to produce a slalom gatepost end cap and a procedure for fixing it in the snow pack that give rise to an extremely stable and durable anchorage.

Another object of the invention is to produce a slalom gatepost end cap and a procedure for fixing it in the snow pack that make it unnecessary to use particular tools to anchor the end cap in the snow pack.

Another object of the invention is to produce a slalom gatepost end cap and a procedure for fixing it in the snow pack that are versatile and suitable for use equally effectively irrespective of the consistency of the snow pack.

Another, not necessarily last object of the invention is to produce a slalom gatepost end cap and a procedure for fixing it in the snow pack that are simple and economical to produce.

The technical aim and these and other objects according to the present invention are achieved by making a slalom gatepost end cap according to the independent claims stated below.

In particular, it should be noted that the insertion of the end cap does not induce any widespread, uncontrolled damage to the hole in the snow pack, but only a calibrated thawing of the wall of the hole sufficient to create a film of water that, on refreezing, achieves a stable anchorage of the gripping means.

Of course, the reference sector is that of gateposts for marking a slalom ski course, but the invention can also be applied to any other sector in which it is necessary to fix a gatepost in a snow pack, e.g. for marker posts of various kinds.

Other characteristics of the present invention are also described in the subsequent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description of preferred, but not exclusive embodiments of the slalom gatepost end cap according to the present invention, non-limiting examples of which are shown in the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a vertical side view of an end cap according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows the end cap in FIG. 1 anchored in the snow pack;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail of the end cap in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a vertical side view of an end cap according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail of the end cap in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The above-mentioned figures illustrate an end cap 1 for a slalom gatepost suitable for being inserted in a hole 2 in a snow pack 3. On the surface of the end cap 1 there are gripping means 5 configured so as to exert a force of friction against the wall of the hole 2 when the end cap 1 is inserted under pressure in the hole 2, such that—without damaging the structural integrity of the hole 2—it determines the liquefaction of a film of water 4 that spreads in a liquid state and then refreezes, thereby retaining the gripping means 5, and/or it creates a physical bond between the snow crystals and the gripping means 5.

In a preferred embodiment the gripping means are evenly distributed over all or part of the surface of the end cap 1. In this case, the gripping means 5 preferably comprise a coating layer on the end cap 1, and particularly a coating layer that can be achieved, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, by flocking and that consists of a layer of fibres 6 made of a material having the texture of a velvet fabric. The fibres 6 are preferably polyamide fibres, but may be another type of synthetic fibre (e.g. polyesters or polyolefins, or polyurethanes), or natural vegetable fibres (e.g. cotton, hemp, jute).

In other preferred embodiments of the present invention not shown herein, the gripping means comprise a coating layer obtained by painting and consisting of a layer of paint made with a material that gives the texture of a velvet fabric, or a coating layer obtained by overmoulding and consisting of an overmoulded layer of a material with the texture of a velvet fabric, or a coating layer of rubber.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gripping means comprise surface formations made in various shapes and sizes, either in a single piece with the end cap 1 or separately and attached thereto. The gripping means can consist, for instance, of surface formations obtained by a surface embossing or turning process on the end cap 1. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gripping means comprise a fabric, e.g. a fabric with one-way fibres with the so-called “sealskin” effect, or a fabric of another type made with synthetic and/or natural fibres.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show rhomboid formations 9 in relief that are created by the intersection of two of rightward and leftward turning helical lines 10 and 11 with the same pitch, e.g. in the range of 5 to 15 mm, and at the same depth, e.g. in the range of 0.1 and 0.6 mm.

In a different embodiment, which corresponds to the reverse of the one shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the surface formations in relief may be crests that extend along two rightward and leftward helical lines so that they intersect to form rhomboid-shaped recesses. The crests may have the same parameters as those described above. The various solutions are designed so as to guarantee an effective gripping while causing a negligible or limited wear of the gripping means.

The end cap 1 comprises a cylindrical body 7 without the conventional threaded finish needed to screw it inside the hole 2, and with a tapered end 8. The hole 2 is calibrated to have a diameter DI equating to or narrower than the diameter DO of the end cap.

For the particular case shown in FIGS. 1-3, the procedure for manufacturing the end cap 1 may be as follows. The end cap is moulded from a plastic material, e.g. a polyamide. An adhesive is spread over the surface of the end cap 1. An electrostatic field is applied between a fibre dosing unit and the surface to flock so that the fibres are transferred under the effect of the electrostatic field onto the surface being flocked.

The procedure for inserting the end cap 1 is briefly explained as follows. The calibrated hole 2 is prepared, e.g. with the aid of a drill. The hole 2 is calibrated with a diameter that also depends on the type of gripping means; the diameter of the hole 2 generally equates to or is up to 20% narrower than the diameter of the end cap 1. The end cap 1 is inserted in the hole 2 by exerting an axial pressure thereon. The lack of the conventional threaded surface enables the end cap 1 to penetrate inside the hole 2 without inducing any localised stresses in the hole 2, which consequently remains structurally intact, since the mechanical strains generated by the gripping means 5 are evenly distributed over the lateral surfaces of the hole 2.

In the case shown in FIGS. 1-3, the stability of the end cap 1 against slipping relies not only on the radial pressure coming to bear on the end cap 1 due to the effect of the liquefied water when it refreezes, but also on the capillary diffusion of the film of water 4 between the fibres 6 that thus remain trapped when the film of water 4 refreezes, and possibly also on the physical bond that is created between the snow crystals and the gripping means.

In the case shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stability against any slipping of the end cap 1 relies not only on the radial compression coming to bear on the end cap 1 due to the effect of the liquefied water refreezing, but also on the capillary diffusion of the film of water 4 inside the channels between the lines 10 and 11, so that the formations 9 become trapped when the film of water 4 freezes again, and possibly also on the physical bond that is created between the snow crystals and the gripping means.

In addition to providing a stable and durable anchorage, the solutions adopted avoid the need to use a wrench to insert the post in the snow pack, and generally also to extract the post therefrom, and the post is also lighter because it may be of a narrower diameter than in the case of the traditional products with a threaded end cap. All these aspects contribute to simplifying the transportation of the materials and the preparation of the slalom course.

The gripping means can also be extended over different axial lengths along the end cap in order to adapt the post to different thicknesses of snow cover.

The end caps for slalom gateposts thus conceived and the procedure for their insertion in the snow pack may undergo numerous modifications and variants, all coming within the scope of the invention; moreover all the components may be replaced by technically equivalent parts. In other words, any materials and dimensions may be used according to need and the state of the art. 

1. An end cap for slalom gateposts having gripping means on its surface that are configured so as to exert a force of friction against the wall of a hole made in the snow pack for the insertion of said end cap when said end cap is inserted under pressure in said hole, such that—without damaging the structural integrity of said hole—it induces the liquefaction of a film of water that spreads while in the liquid state and that bonds with said gripping means, and/or creates a physical bond between the snow crystals and said gripping means, when it refreezes.
 2. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein said gripping means are evenly distributed over all or part of said surface of said end cap.
 3. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprise a coating layer of fibres made of a material that has a texture with the effect of a velvet fabric.
 4. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprise a coating layer of paint made of a material that has a texture with the effect of a velvet fabric.
 5. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprise a coating layer of overmoulded material that has a texture with the effect of a velvet fabric.
 6. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprise a coating layer made of rubber.
 7. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprise surface formations integrally formed with said end cap.
 8. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 7, wherein said surface formations are obtained by an embossing or turning process.
 9. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprise surface formations created separately and attached to said end cap.
 10. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein the end cap lacks the conventional threaded finish for screwing it inside said hole.
 11. An end cap for slalom gateposts in accordance with claim 1, in combination with a slalom gatepost.
 12. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 1, wherein said gripping means comprise a fabric.
 13. An end cap for slalom gateposts according to claim 2, wherein said gripping means comprise a fabric.
 14. A method for inserting an end cap of a slalom gatepost in the snow pack, the method comprising making a hole in said snow pack calibrated so that it has a diameter equal to or narrower than that of said end cap, providing the surface of said end cap with gripping means configured so as to exert a force of friction against the wall of said hole when said end cap is inserted under pressure in said hole, and inserting said end cap into said hole in said snow pack such that, without damaging the structural integrity of said hole, the end cap induces the liquefaction of a film of water that spreads in the liquid state and subsequently retains said gripping means, and/or creates a physical bond between the snow crystals and said gripping means, when it refreezes.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said gripping means are evenly distributed over all or part of said surface of said end cap.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein said gripping means comprise at least one of a coating layer of fibres made of a material that has a texture with the effect of a velvet fabric, a coating layer of paint made of a material that has a texture with the effect of a velvet fabric, a coating layer of overmoulded material that has a texture with the effect of a velvet fabric.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein said gripping means comprise a coating layer made of rubber.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein said gripping means comprise surface formations integrally formed with said end cap.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein said surface formations are obtained by an embossing or turning process.
 20. The method of claim 14, wherein said gripping means comprise surface formations created separately and attached to said end cap. 